Handwheel



July 6 1926. 1,591,527v

H. D. GEYER HANDWHEEL Filed oct, 2. 1924 albany* Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,591,522 PATENT oFFicE.-

HARVEY D. GEYER, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE INLAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F DAYTONQ-OHO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

HANDWHEEL.

Application filed October 2, 1924.

is of very simple and economical construc-y tion.

Further objects and advantages oi' the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.y wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the. invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an automobile steering wheel made according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view along line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a portion of the wheel along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and shows in particular the method of fastening the outer ends of the spokes to the rim.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 designates the wood rim which may b'e made according to any of the well known methods for making handwheel rims. The four wooden spokes 11 are shaped out of relatively narrow wood stock substantially according to the outlines shown in plan in Fig. 1 and in elevation in Fig. 2. It will be noted that these spokes may be eut from a piece of wood stock indicated bv the dot and dash lines 12 in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that the wood stock is very economically used since the enlarged inner ends 13 of the spokes 11 extend upwardly into the dished part of the wheel. The grain of the wood preferably runs parallel to the top and bottom faces of the hub portion 15 as shown in Fig. 2, but if 'desired the pieces of wood stock may be cut so that the grain of the wood runs parallel or nearly parallel to the length of the spoke 11.

The wood spokes 11 after first being serial No. 741,150.

shaped out and dove-tailed as clearly shown in Fig. 1, are assembled and glued together so that their inner ends form a wood hub portion 15 which is substantially square in plan outline7 with a small'square aperture 16k through the center thereof shown in dotted lines in Fig... 1. The upper corners of the hub portion 15 may be then finished oil' to cause the hub portion to have a substantially circular outline at its top surface as shown in Fig. 1. The square aperture 16 is also bored out to'forin a round central aperture 17 adapted to receive the sleeve portion of a metal hub (not shown) which may be bolted to the hub 15 by bolts extending through the holes 18.

It is seen that by this construction four spokes of relatively narrow width may be so assembled together as to form a central hub portion having a diameter approximately equal to three times the width of the wood stock from which said spokes are cut out. Obviously this will effect a great savingin wood stock over present constructions wherein the wood stock from which the spokes are out must be substantially equal to the full width of the hub portion due to the inner ends of the spokes being liared out laterally to form the enlarged hub portion.

The outer ends 19 of the spokes where they are attached to the rim are also of the same width as the rest of the spokes, instead of being laterally enlarged as is common with spokes which are cut from a wide piece of wood stock. The slots or recesses 2O are cut all the way across the under side of the rim 10 to receive the outer ends 19'which may be suitably secured to the rim 10 by one or more screws 21. The outer ends 19 are finally finished 0E to lie flush with and form part of the contour of the rim 10.

Preferably the outer ends 19 are merely a continuation of the spokes 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, that is they are straight and of the same section as the rest of the spoke. Obviously then such a spoke will'be more economical to cut out than if some special shape were given to the outer end.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention is herein disclosed, con- What I claim is as follows:

l. A wheel spider comprising four wood spokes having their inner ends rigidly jointed together to forni a wood hub portion, the center lines of said spokes being` offset from the wheel center whereby relatively narrow spokes may forni a relatively wide hub portion.

2. A wheel spider comprising four wood spokes having their inner ends rigidly jointed together to forni a wood hub portion, opposite spokes being parallel but set out of alignment whereby the width oithe hub portion is increased.

3. A wheel spider comprising two pair of oppositely extending wood spokes having their inner ends rigidly jointed together to forni a wood hub portion, the spokes of each pair being oiiset at opposite sides of the wheel center.

4. A wheel spider comprising iour wood spokes having their inner ends ri gi dly joint ed together to forni a wood hub portion. the center lines of said spokes being offset troni the wheel center whereby relatively narrow spokes may forni a relatively wide hub portion, and eaeh spoke having a dove-tail oonneetion to its two adjacent spokes.

5. A wheel spider Comprising four wood spokes having their inner ends rigidly jointed together to forni a wood hub portion, opposite spokes being parallel but set out of alignment whereby the width of the hub portion is increased, and each spoke having a dove-tail Connection to its two adjacent spokes. l

6. A wheel spider comprising two pair of oppositely extending wood Spokes having their inner ends rigidly jointed together to forni a wood hub portion, the spokes of each pair being offset at opposite sides of the wheel Center, and each spoke having its inner end dove-tailed into the side of the spoke against which it abuts.

7. A wheel spider comprising i'our wood spokes having their inner ends oii'set and joined together to forni a square hub portion7 said hub portion being provided with a central bore to receive a suitable metal hub portion.

8. A wheel spider Comprising a plurality of wood spokes having their inner ends rigidly jointed together to forni a wood hub portion, the center lines ot said spokes being offset 'troni the wheel eenter whereby relatively narrow spokes may forni a relatively wide hub portion.

9. A dished wheel spider comprising four wood spokes oi' relatively narrow substantially uniform width having their inner ends oiliset from the wheel center and rigidly joined together to 'forni a wood hub portion, the inner ends of said spokes being of increased depth to give a relatively large substantial wood hub portion.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiiix iny signature.

HARVEY D. GEYER. 

